Jack Bond, Staff Writer

Delta Sigma Omicron was started by Dr. Timothy J. Nugent in 1948 at the University of Illinois. Since then, it has grown to house chapters all over the U.S., with the Arkansas State University chapter being founded in 2001. In 2008, the organization was awarded the Chief Big Track Award. The award recognizes “an outstanding family or organization that has faithfully exhibited their superb support for A-State through their donation of time, gifts or talent.” 

     The organization supports students with both physical and mental disabilities and provides a tight knit community for members. Throughout the year, the organization may hold fundraisers, awareness campaigns or donate to groups that support disabilities of any kind. For example, Dominique White, the organization’s advisor, described a story about a student with digestive problems. The student had trouble digesting solid foods, so when the organization got wind of this, they raised funds to get the student a blender. 

       The club only had three meetings this semester. The club plans to hold meetings in person in the future, but for now holds them on Zoom. Each meeting is led by extremely driven students. “I’m really, as an advisor, stepping back and allowing them to figure out ‘what do you want this organization to be?’” says White. “(The last meeting) was an hour 15 minute meeting where they just came up with ideas, and I was just trying to write them down as fast as I could.”

     In recent years, the organization has seen high inactivity due to COVID and low membership. The seats for President, Secretary, Treasurer and PR Coordinator are still open, but the club hopes to restore itself back to days of being award worthy. 

     Despite technically being a fraternity, the club does not exclude by gender. In fact, it’s not very exclusive at all. Anybody – disability or not – is more than welcome to join. The only requirement is passion for disability awareness and accomodation. “The requirement is that you care and that you want to just be intentional about what we do here,” said White.

      The club currently does not have its own social media, but it is a work in progress. In the meantime, students interested in joining can find more on the organization’s website at http://www.astate.edu/a/disability/delta-sigma-omicron/index.dot, reach out to the club’s advisor at dowhite@astate.edu or follow the access and accommodations office on facebook or  instagram.

Categories: Life